Machine for the manufacture of crumpets and the like



Nov. 24, 1953 MACHINE FOR THE MANUFAQTURE OF CRUMPETS AND THE LIKE Filed June 14, 1948 R. J. HASTINGS 2,660,109

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ye? M Inventor ROBERT JAMES HA srnves L .By 9 W F/GJ fl A tL orn eys Nov. 24, 1953 s m s 2,660,109

MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CRUMPETS AND THE LIKE Filed June 14, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 2/ F/GZ 22 0 lm/entor' ROBERT Bi 1E5 f/A STING-S B I F/a/(mm fW A ttorneys Nov. 24, 1953 R. J. HASTINGS 2,660,109

' MACHINE FOR THE. MANUFACTURE OF CRUMPETS AND THE LIKE Filed June 14, 1948 v 4 Sheets-Sheet s FIG 4 Invenfor F765 ROBERT JAMES HASTINGS Attorneys Nov. 24, 1953 R. J. HASTINGS 09 MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CRUMPETS AND THE LIKE Filed June 14, 194a 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fi L [if i m I FIG/0 FIG/l fn van for ROBERT JIqMEs HASTINGS Attorneys Patented Nov. 24,1953

MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE F.

' cRUMPE'rs AND THE LIKE Robert J a me s Hastings, Yagoona,New

" South Wales, Australia Application June 14, 1948, Serial No. 32,869

A further object of the present invention is i to provide in a machine of the above type means for efiecting efficient baking of the crumpets, thus eliminating the possibility of over orunder baking. i

A still further object of the present invention is to provide in a machine of the above type, mechanical meansfor removing the baked crumpets from their respective moulds and causing them to fall on to suitable delivery means.

In the present invention, dough dispensing means are suitably arranged beneath a dough hopper, to receive dough therefrom at regular intervals for distribution to crumpet moulds, the said dispensing means being formed in such a way that a" predetermined quantity of dough is delivered to each of a series of moulds instantaneously. In one form of the invention, the crumpet moulds are adjacently mounted in banks of three and are interconnected by pin means or the like, the said pin means being adapted to cooperate withthe respective links of a pair of endless chains which are driven through a suitable reduction gear box from a known elec' tric motor, and the various banks of moulds are carried thereby over baking means. such as gas jets or the like until thecontents of the said moulds are thoroughly baked, when the said contents or crumpets are ejected on to a conveyor and directed to a packing room.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, reference will now be made to. the. accompanying drawings wherein---,

. Figure 1 is a diagrammaticViewv of the machine illustrating the various operations involved according to the present invention.

Figure 2is a side'elevational view of one unit of the link and roller chain mechanism used as the chain drive of the machine and to which the moulds are attached.

Figure 3 is a plan view thereof.

. Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the mould depressing weight.

Figure 5 is an'end view thereof. I i

' Figure 6 is a plan view of a crumpetymould assembly according to the present invention but turned through 90 to the position of normal operation.

Figure '7 is a sectional elevation on thelme 1-4 of Figure 6'.

Figure 8 is a side elevational view 01 the dough 7 Claims. (01. 99 42s) 2 dispensing means according to the present invention;

Figure-9 isa sectional elevation on 99jof Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a plan view'of the kniieand Figure 11 is a sectional elevation on the line llll of Figure 10.

According to the present invention a dough hopper l0 having hole (not shown) in the bcttom thereof, has secured thereto dough dispensing means having a casing Ii which has formed therein a series of inlet ports :2, see Figures 52 and 9, for receiving dough through the said holes from the hopper ii, and the dough portions thus received in the casing I l of the dispensing means are carried in pockets in a distributing member it having a hub i mounted on a shaft Hi within the use the said dispensing means, and thence for discharge to outlet ports l5 formed in the said casing H, see Figure 9, the said shaft is being mounted in bearings of known form and being driven in a manner to be explained. a p

Crumpet moulds It pass beneath the dispensing means I l and receive dough portions from the outlet ports 55 thereof, the said crumpet moulds I B being connected, for example, in banks of three by pins ll which pass through lugs is formed integral with the said moulds it. The body portion of ach of the moulds iii slideably receives a valve portion iii upon which the dough portion falls from the dispenser ii, and a flange 2c is secured to the said valve portion i9 for reasons to be explained later, Figures 1, 6 and 7. Said valve portion is has movement in mould it limited by means of an annular flange which engages a shoulder in the mould. i

The connecting pins I? receive links 2i and rollers 22 (see Figures 1, 2 and 3) which form a driving chain, the assembl d machine having one such driving chain on each side thereof so that the various banks of mould it, pins ii,

links 2! and rollers 22, form a conveyor belt unit,v the said driving chains of which have sprockets 23 engaging therewith, the said sprockets 23 being secured to shafts 2 mounted in bearings of known form and receiving rotary motion from a driving unit at each end and on opposite sides of the assembled machine whichcomprises a known electric motor 25 and a known reduction gear box 26, and the said conveyor belt may be supported by having the rollers 22 running on angle iron 9, and rail ii, as illustrated diagrammatically in Figures 1 and 1 (continued) and which extend longitudinally with respect to the machine beneath rollers 22 and support the upper and lower runs of the chain.

Fuel supplypipes 2? have branch pipes 28secured thereto in known manner and burners 29 are secured to the said. branch pipes 28 for supplying heat to loaded crumpet moulds passing thereover, whilst a weight member 30 having ejector pins 3!, see Figures 4 and 5, is pivotally secured to the side walls of the machine by a shaft (not shown) which is received in lugs 32 formed integrally with the said weight member 3B, which also has cams 33 ,formed integrally therewith for engagement by the;,rollers -2 2. Movement of the weight member Si! may also be assisted by a compression spring- 3'4,:1 Fig ures 1.

and 1 (continued), said compression spring being disposed between a bridge member 't f edtothe rail 8 and the weight member 30.

A knife, see Figures 1, 10 and 11, is rigidly secured to the side walls,of the machine and is adapted to engage the, faces of the respective mould valves or bases H! to remove bakedcrumpets therefrom and a ,second conveyor belt '36 of known form passes beneath the said. knifev 35 and is driven in known manner not shown); from the respective driving units 25,- 26, one of: the said drive means 25, 26, being also adapted to drive the shaft IQ of the dispensing means .I I.

In operation, dough is received from the hopper H) by the dispensing means ll through the holes formed in the bottom of the saidhopper H), the said holes corresponding in number to the number of moulds 16 which can be .served at one time by the said dispensing'means I I; for example, three. A the ban of threemoulds it passes beneath the dispensing means I l., a predetermined quantity of dough falls into each mould [6 from the outlet ports l5, and the moulds It then pass over a series of gas burners 29 or the like. On reaching the end of the traverse of the machine, the moulds 16 are turned under the branch pipes 28 and burners 29 by the driving chains, and travel in an inverted position in the opposite direction, whereupon the rollers 22 engage the cam faces 33 of the Weight 30, and raise the said weight 30 clear of the flanges of the valves 19 of the respective moulds it until such time as theejectorpins 3| of the weight are directly over the said valves 19, when the weight 30 then falls and the pins 3| force the respective valve 19 down, see Figure 1, and the knife 35, engages the faces of the respective valves I9 and cuts the baked crumpets therefrom, and the said crumpets fall onto the lower conveyor 36 andare carried to a suitable 1. A machine for the manufacture of crumpets comprising, aplurality of moulds, each having a body portion and a sliding valve portion disposed within said body portion, which, together form a moulding cavity, said moulds being linked together in" endless chain like;formation,- rollers on said moulds, ejecting means acting upon the sliding valve portion of the respectivemoulds and comprising a weight memberhaving ejecting-pins and cam faces which latter are; engagedby the rollers carried on the mouldswhereby the eject ing pins are raised and lowered at predetermined intervals to permit unrestrictedmovement of the moulds.

2. A machine for the manufacture of crumpets as claimed in claim 1, including a severing means engaging the moulds for severing the baked product from the moulds.

3. An apparatus for the baking of food prod- -ucts comprising a dough receiving mold, said doughsreceiving, mold having a, body portion with {an aperture ,therein and a valve portion slidably mountedwithin said aperture, the walls of said aperture forming the sides of the dough receiving pocket of the mold and one face of the valve forming ,the floor, of said pocket when in one extreme position, and being flush with the mouth of said aperture when in the other extreme position, cam means on saidmold, a weight member, means to,move .saidmold along a predetermined path, said weight member being positioned adjacent said path and said cam means being positioned t0. engagesaid weightmember and raise it above said valve and then to disengage from said weight member permitting saidweight member to fallto engage and actuate the valve.

4. An apparatus-for the baking of food product as claimed in claim 3 wherein the face of said valve portionforming the floor of the dough receivingpocket is a single uninterrupted planar surfaceand-including a knife positionedadjacent tomthe path ofsaid molds and located to engage said planar surface removing the baked product therefrom.

5. Anapparatus forthe baking of food products, as claimed in claim 3 including a second weightmember similar to said first mentioned weight member, said second weight member being positioned on the sideof the mold opposite the side of said first mentioned weight member.

6. .A machine for the maufacture of baked food productscomprising, dough receiving molds, said moldsv being linked together for movement in endless chain-like formation, said molds each comprising va-body portion, said body portion having an aperture therein, asliding valve portion slidably mountd within said aperture, the walls of said aperture-and one face of said sliding valve portion forming a molding cavity, ejecting means adaptedtoact upon the sliding valve portion of. the molds, said ejecting means. comprising. a. weight member having ejecting pins and cam faces, cam members on said molds, said cam membersadapted to engage said cam faces causing .said weight member to. be raised and lowered at predetermined intervals.

7. .A..machine for the manufacture of baked food productsas claimed. in claim 6, including severing means, said .severing means comprising a knife positioned to engage the face of said sliding valve portion which forms a part of the moldingcavity,- thereby severing the baked products from the molds.

1 ROBERT JAMES HASTINGS.

References. Cited in thesfile of this patent UNITED. S' I IATES PATENTS Number Name 'Date 990,577 Mayle et al. Apr. 25, 1911 1,128,407 Carpenter Feb. 16,1915 1,136,261 Pierce -f Apr. 20, 1915 1,165,035 S treit Dec. 21, 1915 1,289,289 Le .vison Dec. 3l, 1918 1,426,756 Mininberg Aug. 22, 1922 1,984,027 Lyons Dec. 11, 1934 2,071,434 Sarnmark Feb. -23, 1937 

